Ya gotta take into account that he's something like 60 years older than he was then. The originals are still there to hear. I'm going to check this one out, though, for sure.
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I think Fogerty's live albums are better, with Premonition (1998) in discount bins by now. Wrote a Song For Everyone (2013) is the best release from him in the 2000's. It seems as though once he had the rights back to his CCR songs (recently) he hastily created and released Legacy. It does not sound bad but does not resonate with me and seems to be a rehash of those songs. He is 80, and considering The Police have reopened old wounds and are fighting over lawful rights at their age, I would think Mr. Fogerty has plans to offer up a definitive CCR greatest hits album in a new remastered format. Or maybe just cherry pick from the albums already remastered, which may have been less professionally remastered by the previous song rights owners. Many of those songs would sound great remixed and reworked with perhaps some new wrinkles to them like he did with Wrote A Song For Everyone. |
Here is John’s reason from a recent interview why he rerecorded his music. In the linked interview he gives his thoughts on all the CCR problems and controversies. I haven’t heard Legacy yet so I can’t comment on that. Interviewer: After waiting over 50 years to regain the rights to the Creedence catalogue, why did you decide to re-record the songs rather than package up a new greatest hits? John: I think some of it was realising I’m never gonna be offered a chance to own the masters – none of us in the band will ever get that opportunity; they’ll be owned by a company, and another company, and it all gets very corporate. So, approaching 80 years old, it just seemed like, ‘Gee, what would I like to do? Well, I’d like to have some recordings that I actually own so that I get to control their destiny,’ you might say. There was a lot of impetus from my dear wife, who kinda envisioned the idea of me having an album made up of re-records. It gave me a project that was actually pretty difficult. It wasn’t like falling off a log. |
Perhaps, for those if us who grew up hearing the original versions on our transistor radios, any other versions will inevitably feel like a let-down by comparison. Why? Simply because there is more than the music involved. Our memories of what it felt like to be young at a time when this music was so fresh and dynamically new are inextricably intertwined with the music. The Legacy versions sound pretty good to me, especially considering his age. True, the vocals are not quite as energetic. I should disclose the fact that Credence is one of many bands I stopped listening to decades ago. I’ll crank Born On The Bayou or Up Around the Bend in the car but I haven’t owned any of their CDs in a very long time. It’s more nostalgia for me, at this point, than anything. That said, as a creative person, I can’t imagine how he must feel, not owning his music and having to re-record new versions. That is just evil.
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Thank you for your suggestion. I played it today from Tidal HD and listened to the entire album. Personally I found it dull and lifeless. Yes it is clean and Fogerty’s voice is not bad considering his age. But it just lacks that raw energy that flows from the original recordings. It’s unfortunate that he was ripped off by the record labels and I’m glad he could recapture some of his power. But it’s a success for him and just too bland for me. I’ll share a story that a friend told me some years back. I was with my friend visiting his terminal aunt in the East Bay Area. I waited outside in the front yard during the visit. When my buddy came out he pointed to the house next door. It was a house converted to a children’s daycare. He said back in the day there was a startup band that practiced in that house. He said she would feed one of the guys and some of the others often as they lacked food. She said one day years later “ Little Johnny “ rang her doorbell and handed her a Gold Record. Little Johnny was John Fogerty and he came by to thank her for those times of kindness when he was in need of a meal. Happy Listening, Mike B. |
@johnto - the money is in the publishing, and John doesn't have to share that with anybody else as he's the one who wrote all those songs. |
You deal with when you remember with what you heard when you were young listening via your car radio et al. I remember us laughing at the Bad Moon Rising sounding like "there's a bathroom on the right'. Unfortunately there's little chance of you forgetting something like that. Now, with the Acoustic Sounds 45 rpm reissues, so very well done, one hears what's on the original tapes. I think the thing most disappointing to me was the fact that Fogerty's voice was recorded so much to the background. This is strange, as the voice and lyrics were foremost in my memory. Maybe the originals were equalized for mono or whatever to minimize all of this. Never mind, this is great music. It is not, and will never be, great sound. I haven't heard the Legacy recording, so I can't compare these two items. Actually, three items: the originals, the 45 rpm remasters, and the rerecording. Anyway you look at it, though, Green River and other tracks are classic. Unretire your old boom box. Let Fogerty do what he needs to. |
Based on how often I listen to CCR, they just might be my favorite band (of the many I have), acknowledging the brilliance of Fogerty. "Keep on Chooglin’,"(played at Woodstock '69) is a favorite of mine, however I love it all. My system truly allows this brilliance to shine, on a deep and emotional level, which is what I want when I listen. I might be the only one here that does not stream, but I own a lot of CCR and Fogerty. Rick Beato has a new interview with John. Enjoy! MrD. |
I agree with your assessment. I put on the Centerfield album as a comparison, and there really is none. Centerfield is superior. These days I think we get a mixed bag as far as artists' approach to the sound quality of their offerings. Some seem to cater to today's loudness wars and headphones with music as a background to life approach. Most care about making their music available to the public.
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